Italia: Estudio sobre relación entre material particulado y COVID 19

Evaluation  of  the  potential  relationship  between  Particulate  Matter  (PM) pollution  and  COVID-19  infection  spread  in  Italy 

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"INTRODUCTION
To  date,  several  scientific  studies  focused  on  viruses  diffusion  among  humans  demonstrated that  increased  incidence  of  infection  is  related  to  airborne  particulate  matter  (PM) concentration  levels  [1,2].  It  is  known  that  PM  fractions  (e.g.,  PM2.5  and  PM10)  serve  as  carrier for  several  chemical  and  biologic  pollutants,  viruses  included.  

Viruses  may  be  adsorbed through  coagulation  onto  particulate  matter  composed  by  solid  and/or  liquid  particles  whose lifetime  into  the  atmosphere  is  hours,  days  or  weeks.  

Particles  and  adsorbed  biologic pollutants  may  be  subjected  to  diffusion  into  the  atmosphere  and  transport,  also  at  long distances  (long-range  transport).  PM  also  represents  a  substrate  allowing  long  term persistence  of  viruses  into  the  atmosphere,  hours  or  days.  

Viral  inactivation  depends  on selected  environmental  parameters:  if  on  the  one  hand  both  high  temperature  and  solar radiation  are  able  to  speed  up  the  inactivation  rate,  on  the  other  hand  high  relative  humidity may  promote  the  diffusion  rate  [3].  

Recently  published  scientific  studies  already  highlighted the  relationship  between  viruses  diffusion  among  exposed  population  and  particulate  matter concentration levels into the atmosphere. According to Chen et al., 2010 ambient influenza and highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) may be subjected to long-range transport due to saharian dust [4]. The authors demonstrated that the concentration of ambient influenza A virus was significantly higher during the Asian dust days than during the background days. Ye et al., in 2016 investigated whether Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infection in children in China was associated with ambient temperature and airborne pollutants [5]. RSV was demonstrated to cause pneumonia in children and its penetration in the deepest parts of respiratory apparatus promoted by particle-based transport. 

A positive correlation between the infection rate and the particulate matter PM2.5 (r = 0.446, P < 0.001), PM10 (r = 0.397, P < 0.001) was shown. Chen et al., provided further evidence that virus incidence is associated with exposure to atmospheric high PM2.5 concentration levels in China [6]. More specifically, data on daily numbers of measles cases and PM2.5 concentrations were collected from 21 cities in China during October 2013 and December 2014. 

The authors highlighted that 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 was significantly associated with increased measles incidence providing the final recommendation to apply PM abatement strategies in order to slow down the diffusion rate. Finally,  the most recent study carried out by Peng et al., in 2020 demonstrated that PM concentration levels population was exposed to significantly affected the misleas spread in Lanzhou (China) [7]. 

As a result, the authors suggested to develop effective abatement strategies of PM concentration levels with the purpose to reduce potential risks for the population.  Given the brief introduction reported above, it is possible to conclude that particulate matter fractions PM2.5 and PM10 represent an effective carrier for viruses transport and diffusion and proliferation of virus diseases as well. INTRODUCTION To date, several scientific studies focused on viruses diffusion among humans demonstrated that increased incidence of infection is related to airborne particulate matter (PM) concentration levels [1,2]. 

It is known that PM fractions (e.g., PM2.5 and PM10) serve as carrier for several chemical and biologic pollutants, viruses included. Viruses may be adsorbed through coagulation onto particulate matter composed by solid and/or liquid particles whose lifetime into the atmosphere is hours, days or weeks. Particles and adsorbed biologic pollutants may be subjected to diffusion into the atmosphere and transport, also at long distances (long-range transport). PM also represents a substrate allowing long term persistence of viruses into the atmosphere, hours or days. 

Viral inactivation depends on selected environmental parameters: if on the one hand both high temperature and solar radiation are able to speed up the inactivation rate, on the other hand high relative humidity may promote the diffusion rate [3]. Recently published scientific studies already highlighted the relationship between viruses diffusion among exposed population and particulate matter concentration  levels  into  the  atmosphere.  

According  to  Chen  et  al.,  2010  ambient  influenza and  highly  pathogenic  avian  influenza  virus  (H5N1)  may  be  subjected  to  long-range  transport due  to  saharian  dust  [4].  The  authors  demonstrated  that  the  concentration  of  ambient influenza  A  virus  was  significantly  higher  during  the  Asian  dust  days  than  during  the background  days.  Ye  et  al.,  in  2016  investigated  whether  Respiratory  Syncytial  Virus  (RSV) infection  in  children  in  China  was  associated  with  ambient  temperature  and  airborne pollutants  [5].  RSV  was  demonstrated  to  cause  pneumonia  in  children  and  its  penetration  in the  deepest  parts  of  respiratory  apparatus  promoted  by  particle-based  transport.  A  positive correlation  between  the  infection  rate  and  the  particulate  matter  PM2.5  (r  =  0.446,  P  <  0.001), PM10  (r = 0.397,  P < 0.001)  was  shown.  

Chen  et  al.,  provided  further  evidence  that  virus incidence  is  associated  with  exposure  to  atmospheric  high  PM2.5  concentration  levels  in  China [6].  More  specifically,  data  on  daily  numbers  of  measles  cases  and  PM2.5  concentrations  were collected  from  21  cities  in  China  during  October  2013  and  December  2014.  The  authors highlighted  that  10  µg/m3  increase  in  PM2.5  was  significantly  associated  with  increased measles  incidence  providing  the  final  recommendation  to  apply  PM  abatement  strategies  in order to slow  down the  diffusion rate.  

Finally,    the most recent  study  carried  out by  Peng et al., in  2020  demonstrated  that  PM  concentration  levels  population  was  exposed  to  significantly affected  the  misleas  spread  in  Lanzhou  (China)  [7].  As  a  result,  the  authors  suggested  to develop  effective  abatement  strategies  of  PM  concentration  levels  with  the  purpose  to  reduce potential risks for  the population.   Given  the  brief  introduction  reported  above,  it  is  possible  to  conclude  that  particulate  matter fractions  PM2.5  and  PM10  represent  an  effective  carrier  for  viruses  transport  and  diffusion  and proliferation  of  virus diseases as well. "